Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: On the modes of extracting gold from its ores / John Percy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
5/6 (page 209)
![small quantity, it may yet by skilful manipulation be extracted with advantage ; and in these days of gold-mining adventure, it is to be feared, that many may be led by this consideration to believe that wherever gold is found, there is a favourable field for mining enterprize. But it must not be forgotten, that it is not merely a question of the occurrence of gold in any given district, but whether it is present in sufficient quantity to admit of profitable extraction. If it were necessary,— as I am credibly informed it would be in one locality,— to expend a sovereign in order to extract sixteen shillings’ worth of gold, dividends would be expected in vain. “ The consumption of gold in the Arts is an interesting subject of inquiry. A very large amount of that which is thus applied is irrecoverably lost,— as, for instance, the gold employed for gilding with gold leaf, and that used in ornamenting china. Some idea of the extent of this loss may be formed, from the fact that one gold, beater will consume many thousand pounds’ worth of gold annually, and there is one manufacturer of china who consumes annually not less than £2000 worth of gold. There is also a large consumption of gold in what is called the gilt-toy manufacture. It seems probable that if the metal should become much more abundant, its applications in the Arts would be proportionately extended. “ Gold after all does not constitute the true riches of a nation. On account of its hitherto comparatively rare occurrence and gradual supply, it has been well selected as the conventional representative of wealth. It is a very beautiful metal and is well adapted to the various purposes of ornament to which it is applied; but in respect to intrinsic excellence it will not compare with iron. A golden needle would be a poor substitute for one of polished steel, and no ordinary skill would be required to operate upon a tender joint with a golden knife. Iron-stone and coal, with conditions favourable to their being worked, are more to be desired than the treasures of an El Dorado ; and probably the most important, though distant result of the discovery of gold in California and Australia, will be that of developing the natural resources of those great countries, by attracting the tide of emigration to their shores.” [J. P.] In the Library were exhibited : — Four Specimens of Gold in Quartz from Ballard Diggins, near Port Philip, Australia. [Exhibited by R. Brooks, Esq.] Baillie’s Patent Volute Springs, with Model of Railway Carriage. [Exhibited by Mr. Howard.] Specimens of Silicious Conglomerate from Hertfordshire, and of Krokidolite. [Exhibited by Mr. Tennant.] Manufactures in Imitation-Ivory and Protean Stone, by Mr. Che- verton. Q](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22377165_0009.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
